Conservative Groups' Letter to Lame Duck Congress: Keep Your Promises

(WASHINGTON D.C.) – As Congress returns from a seven-week break and negotiations in Washington resume on how to resolve the “fiscal cliff,” Independent Women’s Voice joins 19 other conservative groups to send a unified message to Congress: Keep your promises.

The letter to Congress urges leaders in Washington to stand against raising tax rates and to see through the automatic sequestration spending cuts of $109 billion in 2013.

“Our country stands at a fiscal crossroads. Negligence and political posturing between parties has plagued our economy and hindered women, men, and families. It’s time Congress musters the political will to prevent tax hikes, vows to its responsibilities under the Budget Control Act, and keeps its promise to get our country back on fiscally sound ground. We won’t let Congress off the hook and neither will the American people," said IWV Executive Director Sabrina Schaeffer.

As the 112th Congress’s lame duck session progresses and on behalf of the millions of Americans represented by the undersigned organizations, we urge you to prevent the looming tax hikes and live up to your responsibilities under the Budget Control Act to reduce spending by $109 billion in fiscal year 2013.

Don’t use National Security as an Excuse to Raise Taxes

The worst mistake that Congress could make would be to allow the nation’s defense spending to be used as a cudgel to raise taxes. The combination of the expiration of the ‘01/’03 tax cuts, new taxes from the President’s health care law and other tax hikes threaten our already sluggish economic recovery with a first-year tax impact of $495 billion. Preventing this impact isn’t a partisan issue; it’s common sense. As President Obama himself said when many of these cuts were extended last time, raising taxes would be a “blow to our economy just as we’re climbing out of a devastating recession.” Congress must not let that happen.

Congress Must Live up to its Responsibility under the Budget Control Act

As the nation once again approaches the debt ceiling, we’re already hearing rumblings of Congress going back on its promises from that last debt ceiling increase. Under the Budget Control Act, FY2013 spending is set to be reduced by $109 billion through the sequester. These spending cuts are long overdue and must be adhered to. While Congress may need to consider legislation to blunt the sequester’s impact on defense spending—and many of our organizations would argue that such action is vital—it is important that the full amount of the promised BCA reductions be realized elsewhere in the federal budget.

We stand united in our opposition to using national security as a guise to raise taxes and to Congress going back on its word regarding reducing spending under the BCA.

Sincerely,

American Commitment
American Conservative Union
American Tradition Partnership
Americans for Prosperity
Americans for Tax Reform
Club for Growth
Cost of Government Center
Family Research Council Action
Freedom Action
Frontiers of Freedom
Heritage Action
Independent Women’s Voice
Less Government
Let Freedom Ring
National Center for Public Policy Research
National Tax Limitation Committee
National Taxpayers Union
R Street
60 Plus Association
Taxpayers Protection Alliance